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[111]
Now when Jacob's sons were come into the land of Canaan, they told
their father what had happened to them in Egypt, and that they were taken
to have come thither as spies upon the king; and how they said they were
brethren, and had left their eleventh brother with their father, but were
not believed; and how they had left Symeon with the governor, until Benjamin
should go thither, and be a testimonial of the truth of what they had said:
and they begged of their father to fear nothing, but to send the lad along
with them. But Jacob was not pleased with any thing his sons had done;
and he took the detention of Symeon heinously, and thence thought it a
foolish thing to give up Benjamin also. Neither did he yield to Reubel's
persuasion, though he begged it of him, and gave leave that the grandfather
might, in way of requital, kill his own sons, in case any harm came to
Benjamin in the journey. So they were distressed, and knew not what to
do; nay, there was another accident that still disturbed them more, - the
money that was found hidden in their sacks of corn. Yet when the corn they
had brought failed them, and when the famine still afflicted them, and
necessity forced them, Jacob did 1
[not] still resolve to send Benjamin with his brethren, although there
was no returning into Egypt unless they came with what they had promised.
Now the misery growing every day worse, and his sons begging it of him,
he had no other course to take in his present circumstances. And Judas,
who was of a bold temper on other occasions, spake his mind very freely
to him: "That it did not become him to be afraid on account of his
son, nor to suspect the worst, as he did; for nothing could be done to
his son but by the appointment of God, which must also for certain come
to pass, though he were at home with him; that he ought not to condemn
them to such manifest destruction; nor deprive them of that plenty of food
they might have from Pharaoh, by his unreasonable fear about his son Benjamin,
but ought to take care of the preservation of Symeon, lest, by attempting
to hinder Benjamin's journey, Symeon should perish. He exhorted him to
trust God for him; and said he would either bring his son back to him safe,
or, together with his, lose his own life." So that Jacob was at length
persuaded, and delivered Benjamin to them, with the price of the corn doubled;
he also sent presents to Joseph of the fruits of the land of Canaan, balsam
and rosin, as also turpentine and honey. 2
Now their father shed many tears at the departure of his sons, as well
as themselves. His concern was, that he might receive them back again safe
after their journey; and their concern was, that they might find their
father well, and no way afflicted with grief for them. And this lamentation
lasted a whole day; so that the old man was at last tired with grief, and
staid behind; but they went on their way for Egypt, endeavoring to mitigate
their grief for their present misfortunes, with the hopes of better success
hereafter.
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